China-based foundry houses, including Semiconductor Manufacturing International (SMIC), XMC and Huahong Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing, are expected to focus on developing specialty processes for producing chips for IoT applications, according to Digitimes Research
Microsoft unveiled its third-generation own-brand tablet, the Surface 3 on March 31 with a size and industrial design similar to those of the previous-generation models, but instead of using an ARM-based platform and Windows RT operating system, the device has adopted Intel's Atom processor and Windows 8.1, which can be upgraded to Windows 10 at a later time
Philips originally planned to spin off its wholly-owned subsidiary Lumileds and automobile lighting business to make them an independent company by the end of the first half 2015. But on March 31, Philips announced a deal to sell a 80.1% stake in Lumileds to Go Scale Capital for an amount of US$2.8 billion, which is a rather nice price for a transaction in the LED industry
According to Digitimes Research's latest findings from Taiwan's and China's smartphone/tablet upstream supply chain, in exchange for hardware players to pre-install its software applications such as Office, OneDrive or Skype onto their Android-based devices, Microsoft is offering them discounts on the patent licensing fees it charges their Android devices
Semiconductor capital spending by Samsung Electronics is expected to reach an all-time high of US$15 billion in 2015, making the company's capex the world's highest in the semiconductor industry for the sixth straight year since 2010, according to an estimate of Digitimes Research. Meanwhile, SK Hynix's capex is expected to stay flat at US$5.1 billion in 2015 as compared to the previous year
Over the next five years the wearables industry will continue to develop applications ranging from smartwatches, smart wristbands and various facial applications, and will primarily rely on AMOLED technology for displays due to its flexible and energy-saving features, according to Digitimes Research
China panel makers BOE and Tianma Microelectronics are aiming to mass produce Full HD displays with in-cell LTPS TFT LCDs and TDDI (touch with display driver) technology for handsets but are currently unable to do so beyond displays equipped with HD resolution, according to Digitimes Research
Lenovo's smartphone shipments in first-quarter 2015 reached only 8-9 million units, lower than the volume that Digitimes Research had previously estimated and about the same as the level a year ago due to high inventory built up during the fourth quarter of 2014. Lenovo brand image is relatively weak in the smartphone market and the fact that it has two smartphone brands - Lenovo and Motorola Mobility - is not helping its marketing. The two brands overlap in their targeting market segments and pricing ranges
Microsoft launched its latest Windows licensing fee subsidy program for Windows 8.1 in March which expanded the coverage of notebook models, adjusted subsidies, canceled the previous project's US$249 end-price ceiling, and made eMMC a standard specification for entry-level products, according to Digitimes Research's new report about Microsoft licensing.
March average retail pricing for 7W LED light bulbs (equivalent to 40W incandescents) in the China market decreased 21.4% on month to CNY29.10 (US$4.70), while 9W models (equivalent to 60W incandescents) slipped 11.6% to CNY38.80, according to Digitimes Research
China's smartphone shipments are expected to have dropped over 30% sequentially in the first quarter due to decreased export shipment. China's first- and second-tier brand vendors were still digesting inventories for the domestic market from the previous quarter and China's small regional brand vendors posted results far weaker than expected performances
